Page 138 of Hyperspeed
Fuck, if I were a dog, I’d piss on his leg.
“What are you doing?” he asked as I scrubbed his arm.
“Taking care of you, little comet.”
It wasn’t our first shower together, but before, it had always devolved into another chance to get off.
This time felt different. It was about taking care of him, tracing every curve, line, and contour of his body, and making sure he was safe and happy.
I washed every part of him, from his face to the very tips of his toes. He flushed when I scrubbed the more intimate areas, even though I’d had his cock in my mouth less than thirty minutes before.
I chuckled when the markings on his skin flickered, and I realised I’d never asked, even though I’d been desperate to know.
“What do the colours mean?”
His eyes grew wide, and for a moment I worried I’d offended him. I opened my mouth to apologise, to say it didn’t matter, but he rested a hand over my heart, his lips curling into a small, gentle smile.
“I didn’t mean to react like that. It’s quite . . . intimate for the Iskari, so no one else knows.”
“You don’t have to—”
“No, I want you to know,” he cut me off. “I’m glad you asked, Kai.”
He exhaled, psyching himself up.
Opening up was still new for him, and I knew old habits wouldn’t break overnight. I’d give him all the time he needed.
“The colours represent our emotions.” He paused, searching for the right words. “We wear our emotions for everyone to see, but only Iskari know whatthey mean. It’s a vulnerability, in a way, letting the galaxy know how we feel at all times. So we keep it a secret between those who understand . . . a way to protect ourselves.”
He gave a small, rueful smile.” Like, you don’t want every person walking down the street to know you’re pissed off at your job or jealous of an ex-lover. Hell, even horny, because that would be embarrassing.”
I snorted and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear.
“Thanks for telling me,” I said with a smirk. “Let me take a wild guess . . . Does that fiery red I always see mean you’re madly in love with me?”
Rev raised an eyebrow and flashed a mischievous grin. “Sure, let’s go with that.”
I washed his hair, and he repeated the process on me with the same amount of care. After drying off, Rev braided his damp strands, and I led him to my bed, not bothering with clothes. When we slipped under the covers, I thanked the gods that Jax had made me change the sheets that morning.
Rev curled into my side, one arm draped over my stomach. His tail lay still behind him, telling me just how tired he was.
My eyes grew heavy, and I was just drifting off when the rookie opened his mouth. “I have something to tell you.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but a yawn overtook him, so wide his jaw gave a soft, audible click.
“You can tell me after we nap,” I said, giving him a squeeze.
But because he was a stubborn little shit, he didn’t care that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. “I’m too excited, Kai. I have to tell you now.”
I chuckled as he yawned again. “Go on, then.”
He launched into a story about meeting with Talia Monroe, and the more he talked, the wider my eyes got.
Not just because the governor had an Iskari husband, but because Rev’s people were going to be recognised. His determination had paid off, and the Iskari were going to be seen.
Most importantly, they were going to stand as equals.
“I . . . am . . . so . . . proud . . . of . . . you . . .” I said, punctuating each word with a kiss to his cheeks, his nose, his eyes, his forehead, until I reached his lips.
